Don’t trade your vote for money, T-shirt, food etc – Mensa Otabil

19 November 2012

The General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, Pastor Mensa Otabil has cautioned voters to be mindful of the candidates they vote for in the December 7 polls, stating that when voters vote, they eventually put their sovereignty into the hands of the one they vote for.

He was preaching on the sermon titled “Your Vote” last Sunday at the Christ Temple of the International Central Gospel Church.

Pastor Otabil's foundational scriptures to explain the concept of voting was quoted from Proverbs 1:10-15 and Acts 1:21-26. In the book of Acts, Matthias was elected to a position yet was never heard again. Yet the Apostle Paul who was not elected accomplished so much for the kingdom of God.

He further stated that as Christians we are citizens of both heaven and the earth. "In God's world, we live in a theocracy where it is the will of God that rules. But in this world, we live under democracy where man rules" Mensa Otabil added.

"Under democracy the sovereignty of the nation belongs to the people and it is represented in their votes. No citizen can govern a state unless the people surrender their sovereignty to the person", Mensa Otabil said. He therefore advised voters not to trade their sovereignty for slogans, symbols, T-shirts, food and money.

Pastor Otabil further stated that God does not elect leaders under democracy and that the election of the leaders is done by the people. God only recognizes the office of whoever is elected and that it does not mean that God approves of the person elected.

The man of God stated that supporting a political party is not like supporting a football team and neither is it a form of entertainment. He advised voters to consider the proposals being offered by political parties and vote for the one that best suits their dreams and aspirations.

The General Overseer disclosed that he had voted for different political parties since 1992 based on the best proposal on the table. He asked voters not to allow any political party to take them for granted by persistently staying glued to one political party even if the party is under-performing. ‘Your vote should not be fixed”, Pastor Otabil advised his congregation.